Press Release – AIA Float at the FIA India Day Parade on Sunday August 17, 2025 at Madison Ave in Manhattan, NY

The Association of Indians in America (AIA) founded in 1967 had a float in the Federation of Indians Associations (FIA) parade held on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York on Sunday, 17th of August 2025.

AIA is the oldest grassroot non-profit national organization of Asian Indians with chapters spread across the United States of America.Although AIA organization has been there many many years and has a lot of achievements to its credit besides an established identity for celebrating the Deepavali Festival at the iconic South Street Seaport year after year continuously for the last 37 years, it was the first time we displayed the AIA strength on Madison Ave, New York City by taking a beautifully decorated float with itsmembers with tricolor sashes and badges waving the tricolor Indian flag.

We are very thankful and fortunate to have the presence of New York Senator John Liu, as well as the Consul General of India in New York, Hon Binaya S Pradhan along with the Deputy ConsulGeneral Hon Vishal Harsh and Consul for cultural affairsTsewangGyaltsonto Grace our Float as well as be kind enough to encourage AIA members with beautiful pictures.

The float was decorated with AIA national executive committee banners mentioning names of all our chapters in the USA as well as AIA’s resolveto:“Indian heritage and American commitment”.

The individual names of 17 chapters in United States of America, namely; New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, Texas, Californiawere all lined up by the railing of the Float so that all standing and watching the parade, personally or on live worldwide TV, can see the large presence of our organization in the entire United States of America.

Enthusiastic patriotic songs were sung and played on the float for well over two hours which showcases the passion of AIA towards our mother country India.

As the parade was moving along Madison Avenue, the announcements were being made of AIA‘s New York chapter Deepavali Festival being organized on October 11, 2025 for the first time at Overlook Beach in Babylon, Long Islandinstead of the South Street Seaport in Manhattan. Flyers for the same were also distributed to the crowd.

National President Gobind Munjal said that this was being done to attract many people from the tri-state area to see this grand spectacle of Deepavali Festival with Spectacular Fireworks as a grand finale. Free food, many booths, cultural activities, arts and crafts, Naach Inferno, kids and adult activities filled with the amazing stage performances and a mega fun filled day. Raffle prizes, a Surprise Celebrity presence on the stage and Spectacular Fireworkswill be major attractions. Overlook Beach in the town of Babylon is a very popular destination in the summer on Long Island and for the 38th Deepavali festival of AIA will be a spectacle not to miss!

The FIA parade has always had many large organizations in America showcase their presence best done by taking a Float in the parade, hoping that well over 100,000 people that lineup the two sides of Madison Avenue right from 38th St. onwards for the next 12 blocks that the parade marches ahead and passes the VIP stand with dignitaries invited for the day.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Consul General of India Binaya Pradhan along with invited bollywoodcelebrities RashmikaMandanna and Vijay Deverakondaflags off the parade amidst heavily guarded securityprompt and NYPD securing all marching groups and the rest of the lineup continues to proceed with high security around them.